”The ProGay Philippines group said it was a “legal victory”, and a positive step for LGBT rights in Malaysia, renewing calls for the scrapping of the British sodomy law in all Southeast Asian countries.”
Maybe I have missed something in the article, but from the way it’s written, as far as I can tell, the case was thrown out on a legal technicality based on suspect evidence. Which, as far as I’m aware, has zero to do with gay rights. If the evidence had been valid to the court, he could have been found guilty and thus sentenced under sodmy laws. And as far as I’m aware, from the article, the government has no intention of removing the laws? Or am I mistaken?
What they don’t tell you is the background to the alleged sting operation against Anwar, and reports that the Aide claimed to have been “assaulted” on 8 separate occasions by him.
As for the acquittal, throwing out what must have been faked DNA evidence is not a technicality, it is simply not evidence, which leaves the word of a highly suspect witness with, at the least, immunity from being charged himself, against the word of a high profile politician who had had similarly suspect charges against him overturned from 10 years ago and was just getting into politics again.
The significance for gay rights is that Anwar is the first political leader in Malaysia, and a Muslim one at that, to call for the decriminalisation of gay sex, which he did during the trial.
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I’m hopelessly confused by this:
”The ProGay Philippines group said it was a “legal victory”, and a positive step for LGBT rights in Malaysia, renewing calls for the scrapping of the British sodomy law in all Southeast Asian countries.”
Maybe I have missed something in the article, but from the way it’s written, as far as I can tell, the case was thrown out on a legal technicality based on suspect evidence. Which, as far as I’m aware, has zero to do with gay rights. If the evidence had been valid to the court, he could have been found guilty and thus sentenced under sodmy laws. And as far as I’m aware, from the article, the government has no intention of removing the laws? Or am I mistaken?
What they don’t tell you is the background to the alleged sting operation against Anwar, and reports that the Aide claimed to have been “assaulted” on 8 separate occasions by him.
As for the acquittal, throwing out what must have been faked DNA evidence is not a technicality, it is simply not evidence, which leaves the word of a highly suspect witness with, at the least, immunity from being charged himself, against the word of a high profile politician who had had similarly suspect charges against him overturned from 10 years ago and was just getting into politics again.
The significance for gay rights is that Anwar is the first political leader in Malaysia, and a Muslim one at that, to call for the decriminalisation of gay sex, which he did during the trial.
Thanks for the background explanation! :D
Anwar is currently suing a newspaper for defamation after it said he was in favour of gay rights. He’s not exactly a great liberal reformer.
This man was the victim of trumped up charges.
Does sound like it but also on charges that should never be, anyway.
He shouldn’t have been charged in the first place. His aquittal is another reason why those laws should be repealed.
“which have their origins in British colonial legislation.”
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Nothing like pointless statements that hold no relevence.